Three Chinese nationals are accused of being part of a worldwide cybercrime syndicate headquartered in Singapore. According to new accusations filed against them on Tuesday, October 8, the gang receives around S$11.6 million (US$8.9 million) in funding annually, with connections to South Korea.
At this early point in the court case, specifics of the syndicate’s operations are hazy.
Nonetheless, the three are a part of a bigger group of seven men, all of whom are Chinese nationals with the exception of one Singaporean, according to court documents, charge sheets, and an earlier news release released jointly by the police and the Internal Security Department (ISD).
The organisation is thought to be associated with a multinational syndicate that dabbles in cybercrime, and it operated out of a home near Mount Sinai.
The smartphones and laptops that were taken from them had specialist software to control malware, stolen data from victims abroad, computer hacking tools that took advantage of holes in Internet servers, and passwords to access Internet servers used by recognised hacker groups.
The Chinese nationals are accused of entering Singapore with work permits that permitted them to work in the construction industry, but they are said to have left their registered employer’s workplace.
About 160 SPF and ISD officers conducted simultaneous raids throughout the island on September 9 and apprehended the suspects.
The seven men who stand accused are Sun Jiao (age 42), Zhang Qingqiao (age 38), Chen Yiren (age 42), Yan Peijian (age 38), Huang Qin Zheng (age 35), Liu Yuqi (age 32), and Goh Shi Yong (age 34) from Singapore.
Sun, Zhang, and Chen are the three individuals who were charged with new offences on Tuesday.
In his latest allegation, Chen is accused of accepting around S$11.6 million from an individual identified as “Biao Ge,” which Chen allegedly used to finance the maintenance, rent, and other costs of an organised crime gang that included Yan, Huang, Liu, and Sun.
It is believed that money for the Mount Sinai bungalow is part of this.
According to a prosecution under the Organised Crime Act, Chen allegedly “expended” approximately S$399,000 over 11 times between 2022 and 2024 out of the S$11.6 million. Zhang is now charged with helping two individuals, Lee Kok Leong and Clovis Leslie, get the private information of unidentified people on July 28, 2023.
Sun was hit with two further charges. He is charged with transferring, on August 12, 2023, when he was in Singapore, a file to a WhatsApp chat group that contained the private information of 1,055 unidentified South Koreans.
Additionally, he is charged with obtaining 772,500 USDT in bitcoin from co-accused Liu’s wallet, which is purportedly the result of illegal activity.
According to the earlier accusations made against the men, the suspects allegedly targeted websites to look for open ports and exploit vulnerabilities. They also allegedly offered to buy Indian nationals’ personal information that they discovered on gambling websites and sent a file containing 9,369 people’s personal information from Thailand to other individuals.
The Chinese men implicated in the syndicated, transnational offences with amounts involved “in excess of S$1 million” are foreign nationals, according to the prosecutor’s claims in bail reviews that were unsuccessful on October 1.
According to the schedule of public hearings, Coleman Street Chambers attorneys Mr. Daniel Chia, Ms. Elaine Cai, and Mr. Hong Qibin are representing Sun.
Attorney Ong Kelvin of Contigo Law is defending Yan; Attorney Steven John Lam of Templers Law is defending Chen; and Attorney Lee Teck Leng of Legal Clinic is representing Huang and Liu.
Goh is represented by Mr. Soon Wei Song from Goh JP & Wong, and Zhang is represented by Mr. Sunil Sudheesan and Ms. Joyce Khoo from Quahe Woo & Palmer.
Bail reviews for Sun and Chen are scheduled for this Thursday. They have spent nearly a month on remand. Later this month, the remaining five guys are scheduled to appear in court again.
In addition to the core group, two more Malaysian males are accused in Singapore of arranging to provide 9,369 Thai individuals with their personal information through a file that was delivered from Singapore.
Next week, 42-year-old Seow Gim Shen and 39-year-old Kong Chien Hoi are scheduled to enter pleas.
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